


interstellar diplomatic relations

by nowfailingoutofschool, Rest



Category: You Could Make a Life Series - Taylor Fitzpatrick
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Trek Fusion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-12 12:20:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11161713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowfailingoutofschool/pseuds/nowfailingoutofschool, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rest/pseuds/Rest
Summary: Excerpts: Reports Log, Stardates 2490-2494.





	interstellar diplomatic relations

****BOLDLY GOING (Stardate 2490)** **

Immediately following the dissolution of his betrothal to T’rong, David accepts a post with The United Federation of Planets as an at-large Vulcan cultural attaché.

He does not select the position exclusively in the interest of societal enrichment. Of course, he immediately resolves not to readily admit as much in the circumstances in which he expects to find himself.

Nevertheless, while he chooses this posting out of the many in his pile of correspondence because it appears compatible with his affinities and aptitudes--he __additionally__ chooses it because it allows for thorough distance: not just from the Bainbridge jurisdiction, but also from the grasp of Vulcan’s extradition.

He leaves at dawn. Departing before then would be illogical. He still arrives at the shuttle bay with plenty of time to spare.

\-----

The betrothal would have united the Bainbridge clan--David’s mother’s--with a shipping magnate. Accepting it as his due would have reaped numerous benefits for the clan as a whole and for David himself.

The benefits did not fall in line with David’s own personal needs.

\-----

He is assigned to the Federation ship __Taizhou,__ and begins forging educational and social connections with his fellow attaches. David sees a great deal more of the universe than he has before. He would not consider himself poorly traveled for his age. He has largely been exposed to elements within the sphere of high Vulcan society, however.

He finds it all rather fascinating.

David had packed lightly when he left, a holdover from dozens of high-level trips he had accompanied his mother on before he came of age. Storage in space is always hard to come by, and David doesn’t understand the impulse to fill his living space with frivolous mementos of a planet he has no intention of ever residing on again.

He does wish he had brought heavier-knit fabrics. Space is very cold.

\-----

His first successful social interaction occurs within two weeks of his arrival aboard the __Taizhou.__ He spends several hours of each off-duty shift familiarizing himself with the layout of the ship, and believes he has found an optimal combination of warmth and quiet on Subdeck C. When he arrives, however, he finds it already occupied by two beings.

The larger of the two beings is a human woman, sitting on the floor and absorbed in a PADD, slowly stroking the second being’s back. The second being is a cat.

David was not aware that the Diplomatic Corps regulations allowed animals outside of controlled research areas, and is about to say as much when the woman looks up. “Ambassador! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there. Can I assist you with something?”

Wrong-footed, David stiffens. “I am afraid you may have mistaken me for someone else, madam. I have newly been assigned as a cultural attache to this vessel, and am not an ambassador for Vulcan or any other world.” David thinks privately that perhaps he should not have corrected her misconception, as he would surely never be addressed as an ambassador for Vulcan again, so long as T’rong’s clan held economic power.

That matter dispensed with, he poses a question of his own. “By what manner did you procure that feline?”

“Orange,” she replies nonsensically.

“I beg your pardon?”

“The cat. His name is Orange. Would you like to say hello to her?” This was no less inane than her earlier statements, as Orange was neither orange nor capable of speech in any language in which David was fluent. He says as much.

The human laughs. “Well, perhaps it’s time you learned her language. Here, come here - sit down, that’s right. Now stick your hand out.”

Mystified, David does so. The human indicates through gestures that he should slowly bring his knuckles upwards and hold them in front of the feline’s face. A prickle of whiskers brushes against the back of his hand, and before he quite understands what is happening, David’s fingers are buried in black fur, a hum of __warm full quiet warm__ washing over him.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Orange,” he manages after a moment.

He remains with Orange and Orange’s companion, Doctor Ross, for three quarters of an hour before returning to his quarters. Doctor Ross, after her initial misstep, proved to be more than adequately knowledgeable about feline behavior and the ship’s orientation guide. She even informed David where he could requisition synthetic fiber clothing. Wearing it is remarkably warmer than wearing his formal Vulcan robes. Additionally, they help him avoid risking confusion with higher-level diplomatic staff.

David considers the interaction a resounding win.

\-----

 

 

****NEW CIVILIZATIONS (Stardate 2490)** **

As an attaché, David is expected to serve as a diplomatic and cultural intermediary. The Romulan squadron leader, Commander Kurmazov, displays an unawareness of or a lack of concern with David’s official place. (To be sure, David does perform all of his expected duties--“outstandingly,” according to a performance report.)

During on-shift periods, David rarely strays far from the Commander’s side. His own tendency to do so embarrasses him, despite the plain fact that staying near the Commander does contribute best to overall mission efficiency.

He often remains in close proximity after shifts are completed, as well. The Commander invites David to take part in communal meals, both with the larger group and with the Commander’s own family unit. David could not have achieved such social fluency on the __Taizhou__ so organically and quickly without the Commander’s interference.

David does attempt to compensate the Commander for his help. He remains quiet and unobtrusive (though sometimes, in Romulan culture, those things are at odds). He also strives to offer useful, welcome aid to the squadron’s expeditions and endeavors.

On Vulcan, David developed a generally truthful impression of Romulan culture, with a few notable exceptions. He had expected a certain closed-off attitude toward cultural exchange. On the contrary, the Commander supports such exchange fully. He actively seeks to familiarize himself with Vulcan interests, experiences, and perspectives.

“Do you have a family back home?” he asks David once.

“Yes,” David says, failing to modify for Romulan understandings of family and possession.

“Kids?” The Commander asks.

“No,” David replies. “I have my mother. Vulcans do not reproduce at my age.”

The commander nods.

Later than he should have, David remembers to ask after the Commander’s family.

“I have two daughters,” he says. “And Maria.”

All in all, David would say that he finds it surprisingly easy to hold discussions with the Commander.

\-----

Shortly before David assumed the role of cultural attaché aboard __Taizhou__ , Consul Kirill took a temporary leave from his position with the Romulan Legion. David meets him when he returns from his short language immersion excursion.

“Kirill Volkov,” the Junior Commander says, standing between David and the Commander with his hand outstretched. “Jolan tru.”

Bracing himself, David grasps Junior Commander Kirill’s hand. The impression he receives is tempered, muted to appropriate levels. Junior Commander Kirill indicates his excitement to be back aboard the __Taizhou__ , his interest in David’s professional capabilities, and a confusing, fleeting thought about birthdays.

Junior Commander Kirill immediately clears up the confusion on breaking the handshake. “I look forward to working with you,” he says politely. “And to not being the only person at this posting who isn’t one foot in the grave.” He finishes up this statement with what David suspects is an exaggerated glance in the Commander’s direction.

Junior Commander Kirill’s lips curve. David reflexively looks to the Commander, regardless, who volleys back an indulgent, “Counselor Chap’man is far more mature than you.”

“Call me Kiro,” Junior Commander Kirill tells David. He gives no indication of having heard the Commander speak.

“You may address me as David,” David says. Many societies, Central Romulan among them, place a high social value on nomer-class matching. It would not do to respond out of kind.

\-----

In their youths, many Vulcans go on expeditions similar to his own. Eventually, they go back to Vulcan. David elects not to do so.

He does not fully appreciate that others may also recognize this aberration until Kiro broaches the topic thirteen months and eight days after David joined the crew of the Taizhou. He and Kiro have arranged time in their schedules for a standing monthly meeting Kiro calls ‘the stitch and bitch’ though he has never fully explained the name to David’s satisfaction.

Kiro asks, vocalizing at low volume, why David has not returned to Vulcan, as their last attachés did after relatively brief tours.

“They chose the typical visiting position cycle for Vulcans associated with the VSA,” David explains. “When I accepted this offer, I elected for an indefinite posting.”

“Why did you do that?” Kiro asks him. “You don’t have research to do on Vulcan?”

David takes in Kiro’s loose posture. He looks at the beverages in front of them: a common, popular tea for David, and a watered-down ale for Kiro.

He allows the side of his hand to glance against Kiro’s shoulder. Briefly, he contemplates the wisp of trust and unflinching familiarity that results.

David takes all of these things in, and he considers Kiro’s question-- _ _why did he do that?__

He takes them in, and then he takes a moment to consider his own comfort in discussing the matter--with Kiro, who is his friend. And then, almost to his own surprise, he--and then--then, __David answers.__

\-----

 

 

****THE VOYAGES OF THE STARSHIP USNTDP (Stardate 2492)** **

Captain Lourdes encourages a very informal style with his bridge crew. With all the members of the USNTDP, presumably, though David only has anecdotal data on the latter. He’s mostly kept to his quarters when not on duty for his first few weeks onboard, though of course he’s followed his diplomatic training and tried to participate in shift change gatherings for sustenance in the mess. They sometimes serve plomeek soup.

The USNTDP has a lot more ambient noise than his previous two rotations on the Taizhou, and David’s training can only force him to stay in the din for so long, even with a PADD full of briefs on upcoming meetings to occupy him.

Perhaps it’s a function of Captain Lourdes’s casual approach to Sentient Resources that leads to the appallingly cheerful yelling that’s carrying on around him. His PADD chimes lightly to announce a new message from Lieutenant Forster, who according to the duty logs David has memorized ought to be manning the conn and shouldn’t have the leisure to send personal messages during his bridge shift. “Cap has a question for you, if you want to head up,” the Lieutenant’s message reads.

David smooths the hem of his shirt, uncertain. This isn’t the first such missive he’s received on Captain Lourdes’s behalf, summoning David to comment upon a bewilderingly disconnected series of issues, many of which fall outside David’s official purview as Vulcan cultural attache. His last several invitations to the bridge have been phrased delicately enough that David could plead more pressing duties, but he - he has nothing more important to occupy himself with at present. David makes his way towards the turbolifts, mentally rehearsing a synopsis of his recent activities.

Captain Lourdes isn’t even sitting properly in the chair designed expressly for that purpose when David enters the bridge. He has his head craned back to talk to Commander Parent and his hair is brushing his collar in a way that David cannot believe is Starfleet regulation, no matter how frequently he references the grooming guidelines. As with many of Captain Lourdes’s habits, it is perplexing how little people seem to care about his flagrant violation of the rules he himself ought to be enforcing.

Perhaps Starfleet instructs their captains to stand out visually as a marker of authority - the strategy seems eminently logical, in that respect.

David hovers for a moment, unsure of where to stand or whether to interrupt Captain Lourdes’s conversation. He smooths his fingers over his robes again, and then forces his hands to still.

It’s not the first time David has had to prove his expertise in order to be taken seriously - his peers at the VSA had little time for those who chose not to devote their mental faculties to plumbing the awesome depths of the mysteries of the universe - an unnecessarily fanciful phrase one of David’s instructors had used, most likely in an effort to preserve his own aura of mystery with regards to the department’s budget. David has started over with nothing before, and can do it again.

Captain Lourdes swivels around to continue his continue talking to the Commander when he clearly catches sight of David, pausing mid-sentence to open his eyes wide and bare his teeth in greeting. His eyes and teeth are almost as shiny as his hair, though David would be hard pressed to calculate their relative magnitude.

“We’re headed to Planet Q,” Captain Lourdes tells David, when he finishes his report. (The report ended with a “Take care, man,” on Jake’s part. It would have given any self-respecting Vulcan with an equivalent rank pause.) “Do you have anything going on today?” he asks.

“No,” David replies. He worked this puzzle out when he was stationed with Captain Kurmazov. Though he is assigned to work today, he should reply that he does not ‘have anything’ - as in, no tremendously pressing, specific duties to address during his working hours. To reply with a yes, even so as to indicate that what he has ‘going on’ will be whatever work is about to be proposed, creates confusion.

“Cool,” Captain Lourdes says. “Come planetside today? Could be a good way to ease into ground missions. Uh, USNTDP ground missions.”

David nods. “Should I prepare anything?” he asks. Sometimes, on the Taizhou he would be asked to rapidly learn new etiquette guidelines, or study infrastructural weaknesses and flaws.

“Just bring yourself! We’re checking up on the resettled Cooperative members from the Nekrit Expanse,” Captain Lourdes says, shrugging. His teeth are bared. David hazards that it is a dismissal, and takes his leave.

\-----

 

 

****STRANGE NEW WORLDS (Stardate 2492)** **

The welcome party is headed by a human man who introduces himself as Dan. He fails to clarify whether Dan is a name or a title. Dan is less imposing than many of the people forming welcome parties whom David has encountered. Of course, David tends towards performing offworld work; perhaps, on average, welcome parties are just that.

Planet Q is presumably more comfortable than most Federation colonies with hosting off-world visitors. David’s pre-beam background reading on the planet indicated that it had been a longtime beneficiary of the Galactic Cultural Exchange project. He should not feel as comforted as he is by this spiritual precursor to his own work - any planet can change its character in a few centuries, a few millenia.

Dan leads the party on a short walking tour down the crowded street. David notes no less than eight pairs of pedestrians walking hand-in-hand. Vulcan is the only planet David knows of to consider such displays directly taboo. They appear particularly favored on Planet Q. David has learned not to be startled by them.

David has yet to learn not to be startled by the sight of two women passing ahead of them with their hands clasped together.

He shakes it off. Cultural variance in how affection is expressed is common.

Then, he sees another couple--a man and a man, this time--and then, a woman and another woman. He watches one of the women flex her fingers through those of her companion.

David chooses not to feel flustered. Touch telepathy only renders public hand-on-hand contact inappropriate on Vulcan. It can function as a gesture of casual, platonic, non-psychic intimacy, or even just empathy.

The citizens of Planet Q are remarkably empathetic, if this is the case. In David’s free time aboard the Taizhou he had analyzed the Nekrit-based Cooperative refugees and their descendents and found unusually high rates of inter-species contact and eventual sexual and romantic pair-bonding. His recommendations had been to settle the refugees on a planet with a high tolerance for anomalous behavior. It appears possible that his warnings had been heeded.

\-----

Their tour concludes in one of the mixed-function bureaucratic and community centers common to Planet Q’s semi-urban areas. Chief Administrator Lapointe greets the USNTDP group with what David estimates to be a welcoming teeth-greeting. He dispenses ingeniously folded pieces of paper that expand to provide brief informational snippets about a variety of topics related to the refugee resettlement process.

There is a picture of a mixed-race Romulan and Terran child on one of the inside flaps. David runs his finger along the border of the picture and reads the supplementary paragraph about the child’s adjustment to Federation schooling and emotional development evaluations.

David fails to properly focus on the details of this last item. He finds himself, instead, terribly occupied with the revelation that Dan--leader of their welcome party and their tour guide--is, in fact, Administrator Lapointe’s husband.

When it first comes to light, he wracks his brain for perhaps a problem of dialect that may have cropped up. ‘Of course you’ve met my husband, Dan,’ need not indicate that type of relationship, surely.

This is a fruitless consideration. A foolhardy one.

Administrator Lapointe gesturally places his lips on Dan’s in front of--of everyone.

David averts his gaze and focuses back on the pamphlet, but it does not hold his attention as fully as it did previously. His awareness of his breathing and other automatic functions recedes. The moment cannot possibly last as long as it seems to, but David strains to gauge the reactions of his fellow landing party.

All he hears is fabric rustling and the back of throat clicking that Ensign Eisler’s species uses to indicate polite boredom. The moment passes. David’s awareness of it does not.

\-----

David predicts many outcomes. His rapid attempts at calculating the probability of said various outcomes is ultimately unproductive. The USNTDP crew behaves with perfect courtesy, as befits its role.

David had expected that. He had also expected disaster. Holding a multitude of ideas simultaneously is--well, some Vulcan researchers have claimed it is a sign of superior intellect. Others have claimed it is a sign of low intellect. The bulk of Vulcan researchers simply put forth that it is a phenomenon that can lead to a great many things in itself.

David finds himself expecting two contradictory outcomes quite often. When he left home, he expected to arrive at the Federation Diplomatic Corps unfettered; he also expected to be flagged down and, somehow, summarily returned to Vulcan.

This train of thought distracts him. When David re-engages fully, he observes with careful scrutiny Captain Lourdes’ interaction with Marc and Dan. Captain Lourdes engages both in the loose hand clasp common between human diplomats and officials.

For all his diplomatic training, David sometimes fails to observe and interpret certain instances with total accuracy. He does not, however, believe this constitutes one of those instances.Their interactions do not appear strained.

Hand-to-hand contact makes regular appearances in Terran sociocultural norms. Witnessing it has never phased David. He performs well in exams on interpersonal, intercultural interfacing. Consequently, his preoccupation with this detail cannot be purely due to the ingrained taboo about touching it violates. This hand-to-hand contact gesture--between Captain Lourdes and Dan, between Captain Lourdes and Administrator Lapointe-must preoccupy David because it defies other expectations.

No member of the landing team expresses surprise at Administrator Lapointe and Dan’s circumstances. Some of them, David observes, seem even to form a bond of friendship with the two over the next few days.

He and Administrator Lapointe spend an engaging hour and sixteen minutes in discussion about possible collaboration on a white paper on the topic of second generation refugee resettlement before Administrator Lapointe’s - Marc’s - chrono chimes. “That’ll be Dan,” he mutters, though David had scrupulously not indicated any abnormal interest in who might be calling. “Our youngest is teething - I’ve got to run, but send me a comm and I’ll get you a list of the members of Starfleet I yelled at to make this happen?”

And Marc whirls out of the room before David can decide whether to question yelling at his diplomatic superiors or - or the notion of Dan and Marc forming a family unit. Raising children. Together.

Infinite diversity in infinite combinations, apparently, as always.

\-----

“Aw,” Kiro says, when David recounts his time on Planet Q, and then, “We should go there. Do they have beaches?”

“Yes,” David says. “Why would we--”

“Vacation,” Kiro says. “Sun. A good crowd.” He waggles his eyebrows.

David--actually, David has little to occupy himself while on leave. “Maybe,” he allows.

Kiro throws his arms overhead in a gesture to proclaim his apparent victory.

\-----

 

 

****SEEK OUT NEW LIFE (Stardate 2492)** **

David perceives a greater depth of extraprofessional merit in Captain Lourdes following the excursion to Planet Q.

He wields social fluency outside of a working capacity. When he eats in the mess, he is surrounded by a group of individuals. Some members of the group are constants: Lieutenant Gabriel Markson, CMO Forster, First Officer Davies, for instance.

Captain Lourdes could limit his company to this party. He instead goes demonstratively out of his way to pull others in. Sometimes they are visitors to the USNTDP. Sometimes they are crew members David had not previously known to have any manner of bond with Captain Lourdes. During his first days with the USNTDP, in fact, David surmised that he must not assume Captain Lourdes lacks association with anyone aboard. He engages with individuals whose esteem does not greatly add to his professional-social capital.

David has not yet developed a sound explanation as to how or why Captain Lourdes develops these relationships so thoroughly. Perhaps so as to curry favor and boost morale. Perhaps to present roadblocks to free, critical discussion of his authority. Nothing David knows of human culture suggests that Captain Lourdes would be able to keep such activity up indefinitely with the latter motivation only, however. Strange.

It must be exhausting. David is impressed.

\-----

David himself is one of the individuals whom Captain Lourdes demonstrates personal interest in. This much is obvious. He waves to David in the mess: sometimes the flat wave of greeting, and sometimes the three-dimensional circular wave indicating that David should come near. He has even engaged David in discussion on-deck that David has concluded, by process of elimination, must be purely social in nature--directly seeking to determine David’s personal interests.

He becomes, at one time, visibly frustrated during such discussion. Ensign Peterson helpfully intervenes, clarifying on Captain Lourdes’ behalf that his query was specifically about pursuits mutually exclusive with working life. David holds his tongue and does not ask Captain Lourdes why he had not simply specified as much. It is not becoming of a cultural attaché to expect non-Vulcans to accommodate such conversational nuances. (Reasonable and efficient though they may be.)

\-----

Being a subject of interest to Captain Lourdes feels--it is strange. Kiro, usually so helpful, well--he still helps David strategize, but he laughs during.

\-----

Captain Lourdes is not a small person. David comes in at a perfectly average height for human men and only very slightly shorter than the average Vulcan. Captain Lourdes’ frame requires that David pitch his face upwards to maintain polite eye contact. (Eye contact--not too little, not too much--is important to most Earth mammals. David read a fascinating study on the probable implications such preferences have on co-evolution from single-celled organisms.)

David’s body mass is typical of a Vulcan. Captain Lourdes’ is atypical of a human. That is to say, the relatively greater socially-encouraged sexual dimorphism of the human species aside, Captain Lourdes carries a great deal of body mass.

That is all David will say on the matter when Kiro asks probing questions.

\-----

Captain Lourdes also--the non-regulation hair--

David can appreciate its extraprofessional merits.

\-----

 

 

****THE FINAL FRONTIER (Stardate 2492)** **

David had heard that working with Starfleet proper would require cardiovascular endurance. He was not misled. The USNTDP operates by-the-Starfleet-issued __Protocol And Preparedness__ documentation, but only barely. It makes for frustratingly unpredictable work. It also keeps the entire USNTDP crew engaged and active. It brings about unique problems and allows for unique solutions.

And sometimes, it requires running.

\-----

On one such occasion, Captain Lourdes and David are separated from the small party of five, total, that dropped in on a Class L planet to investigate a signal that Helmsman Gallagher described as “fucking weird.” The atmosphere is breathable, if unpleasantly humid, and David watches Captain Lourdes frown in concentration at his environmental scanner before squaring his shoulders and aiming their party towards the source of the anomaly.

The signal turns out to be the result of a large-scale mutation in the silicon-based life forms living in the planet’s fluid bodies. Helmsman Gallagher’s confusion is vindicated; they were producing radio waves produced at a massive level, with a clear register and theme but no message to decode. It is fascinating. Incredible, in a literal sense, had David not been able to follow the team to the planet’s surface to witness it for himself.

Once the cause is discovered, the engineers got to work, leaving David and general command at odds.

“Like a four-year-old’s birthday party, but with slugs instead of cake,” Captain Lourdes says, almost directly into David’s ear. David does not jump. He has long ago reined in explosive reflexes.

He nods noncommittally.

Captain Lourdes blinks.

David has no idea if it was a communicative blink.

“Let’s go check stuff out,” Captain Lourdes says.

David should know better. He does. In the moment, though, he simply reasons that he could argue that he was compelled to leave the makeshift lab. Captain Lourdes should not jaunt off alone.

So he follows.

\-----

Predictably, the afternoon is unpredictable. The Class L planet is tremendously fluid-heavy. Captain Lourdes and David walk for twenty three minutes,, mostly in silence, when a great deluge of rain slams into the trees overhead. A massive deluge. It certainly explains the short, squat dimensions of the canopies.

Captain Lourdes takes off running back in the direction of the lab. As he goes, he reaches out towards David and grabs his wrist.

David had taken his gloves off to better inspect some of the flora. Captain Lourdes is thinking loudly enough to push impressions onto David. He can see slightly better than David could in the strange, half-watery light. He is very, very alert. He is oriented towards the lab, the dock--making sure the crew is safe.

An awareness of David’s presence hangs in amongst the other impressions. Something anticipatory, maybe, or nervous. As they approach the clearing, just before he drops David’s wrist to help the others pack up, David realizes it was--excitement. An excitement related not to the unfamiliar territory but to David’s own proximity to Captain Lourdes.

After consideration, David omits the latter observation from his report. It holds greater relevance, he reasons, to himself than it does to the official Starfleet archive.

\-----

Over the duration of his posting, David has grown to appreciate Captain Lourdes’ - Jake’s - grasp of strategy in an interpersonal context. He has observed Jake mediating trade disputes, navigating Starfleet internal politics to ensure timely requisitions for his crew, and (most impressively) babysitting a squabbling conference of xenoanthropologists. David has long been aware that Captain - that Jake possesses a high degree of emotional intelligence.

It is somewhat disconcerting to have that intelligence focused on him. Disconcerting, but not unwelcome.

Jake invites David to accompany him to a lecture commemorating the biennial of Amanda Grayson’s work on the Universal Translator. It is an event David would not have had any compunctions about attending on his own, but the offer of company is unexpectedly pleasant. Jake has been remarkably conscientious about making David aware of interspecies cooperation opportunities relevant to his professional or personal interests. David’s interests have been personal, of late.

He finds Jake to be an engaged and enthusiastic listener in their individual interactions. Shortly after his assignment on the USNTDP was extended, Jake recommended that David observe a solar nebula from a viewport near his quarters. Jake very courteously guided David to the optimal observational location, and then procured an insulated metal cylinder filled with non-replicated tea. David had intended to watch the nebula’s rotations in silence, but Jake drew him into conversation so skillfully that David didn’t realize his beverage had gone tepid.

Jake has also demonstrated his interpersonal capacities on no fewer than three separate occasions when he urged David to experience Terran diaspora cuisine in the mess. David does not encounter a flavor profile he enjoys after the second incident, but he would not be averse to further experimentation in the future. Jake seems to appreciate his authentic reactions.

It is a novel experience.

\----

David’s inclusion in bridge and away team activities secures his unquestioned inclusion in social spaces, an advantage David is both grateful for and mystified by. It has secondary benefits by providing opportunities for information-gathering.

“Oh, Jake’s bi, too,” Lieutenant Gabriel Markson tells the new on-board Lieutenant George Dineen. Lieutenant Dineen nods, apparently unaffected. David, sitting one table away from them in the mess, makes no change in position or expression. He is decidedly not unaffected.

Minor revelations on the Class L planet regarding Captain Lourdes’ attitudes aside, David has not for a moment begun to consider Captain Lourdes’ actual preferences.

Evidently, he could have.

Lieutenants Markson and Dineen move on quickly. David struggles to do the same.

\-----

“And you didn’t know?” Kiro asked, when David relays the story. David would not have done so if everything about Lieutenant Markson’s behavior had not suggested the revelation was common knowledge. Even as it is, he feels slightly uncomfortable, but he requires input. Kiro’s input is of excellent quality.

“No,” David replies.

“Did I know?” Kiro asks. Thanks to an informal training on rhetorical questions, David is aware he is not expected to respond to such queries. “I maybe did. What do you think about it?” he asks.

That one requires a response. “I’m surprised,” David says. He does not know how to follow it up, so he does not.

“Hm,” Kiro says. “I think it’s good.”

David waits.

“To have a Captain who can understand. Good, right?”

David has not considered such simple terms as a sum-up, but--”Yes,” he agrees.

“And because Captain Lourdes is very handsome,” Kiro says.

David feels himself glow a warm green. He waves a hand uselessly.

“I didn’t mean for __you__ ,” Kiro says. His teeth are bared wide. “Em could be bored. I could be bored.”

David squints at him, suspicious.

Kiro laughs. “Of course I mean for you, too. Maybe,” he says.

David shakes his head at Kiro and pretends to himself that he is not still blushing. It isn’t terribly effective or efficient.

\-----

 

 

****VOYAGES (Stardate 2493)** **

After his initial three month trial period on the USNTDP, the Federation Diplomatic Corps recognizes the self-evident value of a closer diplomatic relationship and officially assigns David to an extended rotation. He does, however, continue to report to Oleg and his superiors in the Diplomatic Corps, rather than entering into the ship’s chain of command. David has suggested such an arrangement in his own reports. However, he had not presumed that he himself should be the diplomat assigned.

He is happy about the partnership, of course. It presents greater opportunity for same-room interfacing with Oleg and with Kiro. And additional exposure to Doctor Ross and Orange.

\-----

Following the official documentation of the partnership, David has a very confusing conversation with Captain Lourdes.

\-----

Kiro has been educating himself on human colloquialisms. “We’ll figure it out together,” he says. “Two heads are better than one.”

“That can’t be correct,” David mumbles. “Humans almost universally have one head.”

After much information-gathering on Kiro’s part, Kiro declares that Captain Lourdes has asked David out on a date.

As both answers had presented negativity--disappointment and embarrassment if he had not, and steep, nervous anticipation of future embarrassment if he had--David wis simply relieved to have an answer.

He is, additionally, relieved to find that by Kiro’s estimation, he has agreed to go on the aforementioned date. Relieved and concerned.

\-----

They arrange to meet in one of the informal ready rooms made available for the diplomatic staff. Jake is already present when David arrives. David is glad of it. Loitering strangely in common areas could give others a poor impression of David’s social competency.

“David!” Jake greets him.

“Hello, Jake,” David offers back.

They take to the holodeck. Jake introduces David to a game of athletic skill and competition. It requires an iced surface, footwear with steel trimmings, long, thin sticks, and a palm-sized disc of rubber. Jake impresses David by demonstrating a deft grasp of the physical forces at play.

The game is challenging. Jake explains and encourages the objectives and restrictions of play. David imagines that, without Jake present to teach him, it may have been difficult to engage fully enough to enjoy himself.

“Have you done this before?” Jake asks David, slightly winded.

David--winded himself, as well--replies, “No.”

“You’re good,” Jake says.

“Thank you,” David says. “Your instruction has been most adequate.”

“This was my favorite game when I was a kid,” Jake says. David is flattered by the trust demonstrated by the disclosure.

\-----

David feels unsteady through the evening with Jake, as though he has stepped into a low-density atmosphere with inadequate oxygen content. This is not to say he found the expenditure of his time less than worthwhile. He has a great deal of valuable reading to complete in a timely manner. He does not once during their outing wish to be working instead.

When their time in the holodeck draws to a close, Jake asks, “Do you want to get food now?” His facial coloring shows slight evidence of exertion, and his mouth is slightly open. It is surprisingly appealing.

Truthfully, David does not feel an immediate need for sustenance. However, he feels it would disrupt the momentum of the outing to answer truthfully. It would be wise to seek sustenance, and continuing his evening with Jake would be welcome.

“The mess has all vegetarian options tonight? So after this, I thought we could get some and go out to the viewing bay, if you’re good with that?” Jake asks.

David estimates Jake’s inquisitive tone to be borne partially of enthusiasm. The first portion of his speech has the sound of a question, but the content of a statement. The second portion is much the same, but it better prompted a response. Therefore, he chooses to respond to only the second statement.

“Yes,” he agrees.

“Awesome,” Jake says, teeth bared. David wonders if there would be value in incorporating that gesture into his own communication scheme, when appropriate.

\-----

The mess serves David an assortment of protein-rich grains and grilled root vegetables. Jake opts for a sizeable salad.

The sight from the viewing bay changes only infinitesimally on a day-to-day basis. David takes satisfaction in noting any differences.

“What’re you looking at?” Jake asks around a bite of food. David has no idea why that is somewhat charming.

“Planetary movement,” David says.

“You can see them moving?” Jake asks him after a pause. His voice has crept up slightly in register. His food is not yet swallowed.

“No,” David says as Jake finishes chewing. “I am comparing what we see now to what we saw the last time we were here.”

“Oh, so you can just remember all of the planets, like, exactly how they were, what, three days ago, and exactly how they are now,” Jake repeats.

David nods.

“That’s cool,” Jake says. “That’s a neat--you’re really smart.”

It is a challenging statement to respond to. Knowledge of human cultural norms suggests that to demur may cause irritation. To agree would be untruthful. David does not evaluate his intelligence as notably higher than what may be considered about average amongst sentient beings. In any case, the human concept of ‘intelligence’ is separate from David’s own. He doubts he has the cultural acumen to evaluate the claim from Jake’s point of view.

David thanks Jake, though it comes somewhat close to tacit agreement. According to Kiro’s guidelines on human courting practices, a return compliment would be appropriate at this juncture, to demonstrate his reciprocal regard. He thinks for a moment, then states, “The loyalty of your crew is a logical response to your leadership.”

“Thanks,” Jake says. His pulse jumps in his neck. David feels...satisfied.

\-----

Jake walks David back to his quarters. David stands in front of his door and looks up at Jake, whose head is angled low. There is an unusually small amount of space between them.

“Would you--this was, I mean, would you want to do this again?” Jake asks.

“Yes,” David decides.

“Cool,” Jake says. “Cool, that’s really cool.”

He hesitates then. David doesn’t mind. Jake’s hair falls in a strangely absorbing way.

“Do we--” Jake begins. He nonsensically cuts himself off by putting a hand against David’s ribs.

David finds that he had nothing to say about that, so he says nothing.

Jake brings his other hand up to the back of David’s jaw.

David has seen this before. Mostly when Emily would palm Kiro’s neck and pull him in. He is fairly sure he knows what would come next. In the interest of meeting Jake halfway--literally, even, he would really have to tell Kiro--he presses his lips against Jake’s softly.

It is strange. David lacks context to evaluate it in terms of performance. Certainly, it is somewhat viscous. He cannot truthfully say he entirely understands the appeal. However, in the interest of fair and equal exchange, David brings his fingertips up to mingle with Jake’s against his ribs. The impression he receives is largely __good__ and __heat__ and something akin to __closer closer closer__.

They wind up pressed almost entirely against one another. It is wholly inappropriate for the setting.

Jake disentangles and cleares his throat. “So,” he says. “Uh. Great! Good. Would you want - I have some Terran classic films, maybe we could watch one together? Like, tomorrow?”

David nods. “I look forward to further cultural exchange.”

Jake maintains eye contact as the skin on his face shifts in tone, most likely owing to increased blood flow to the area. “Awesome,” he says. “Okay. Good night.”

“Good night, Jake,” David says, and retreats inside to his rooms.

\-----

 

 

****WHERE NO ONE HAS GONE BEFORE (Stardate 2493)** **

David discovers he is not averse to the norms of human dating. In fact, aspects of it are more logical than the compulsory reproductive heterosexuality of his own people. Jake is fascinating. David, in agreeing to spend time with him in a social and romantic context, gains opportunities to speak with him on a variety of subjects of interest to them both while participating in culturally enriching activities. It is a mutually beneficial exchange.

Jake teaches David about kissing best practices. In return, David demonstrates how Vulcan stamina and touch-telepathy translate to non-combat arenas.

\-----

Jake is… not unaware of the weight placed on hand-hand contact within Vulcan culture. However, David suspects that he does not understand it perfectly. When Jake grasps his hand--when they’re anywhere, really--David curls his fingers into it automatically. He finds a twenty-minute span of such activity causes him to feel definite symptoms of sexual arousal. After a forty-minute span, he is lacking total lucidity and outright lightheaded. They’re not on the bridge, he tends to rationalize. This is technically acceptable if they are off-duty.

Hands play a great deal of roles in human sexual congress. This is an unusual sexual behavioralism for a species devoid of touch telepathy to exhibit.

Their hands--David cannot stress this enough, when Kiro finally gets him to talking about it--go __inside of__ each others’ bodies. Manual self-stimulation is, of course, a reasonable activity for Vulcans of a certain age to engage in. However, such exploits do not--well, to David’s knowledge, do not, though he supposes he has no empirical evidence regarding this near-assumption--typically extend to the insertion of a finger inside of a body.

That is to say--he finds exploring such things with Jake to be quite engaging. After he feels he has completed a satisfactory initial survey, he amuses himself with the notion of providing one of his more condescending instructors at the VSA with some sort of paper on the subject. Human Sexual Innovation In A Time of Vulcan Sexual Stagnation, he might title it. Though, of course, his primary qualm with that instructor had been his insistence on teaching cultural-comparative papers, which are obviously reductive and lack scientific rigor.

\-----

David’s experience with same-gender pornography featuring Vulcan participants is restricted to a single vid he found on a heavily-encrypted PADD three years ago. It featured an exchange of manual stimulation between two parties, both of whom met traditional markers of the masculine. The participants were ten or so years outside of David’s age range, but the fascination of watching such contact more than compensated for that drawback.

David is, suffice it to say, limited in terms of his exposure to sexual activities he might engage in. He does, however, have a great deal of well-researched background knowledge and a number of hypotheses to interrogate.

He is very excited to learn that humans actually, truly do insert their penises in each others’ mouths. For one thing, it is a uniquely sensational experience. For another, the anthropological implications are numerous and quite intriguing.

However, he does not take great interest in the anthropological implications until after the fourth equal exchange between himself and Jake. Prior to that, he is far too arrested by the utterly strange and deeply intimate experience of gleaning impressions off of Jake via such contact. For the most part, during those encounters, he can hardly process anything at all. He is much too occupied with Jake’s mouth hot around him. He spends a not insignificant percentage of their encounters staring dazedly at ceilings.

Generally, David does need to be the first party treated--though he does not so terribly mind absorbing indirect stimulation via performances on Jake.

What is truly incredible is, of course, the combined oral-manual stimulation that Jake, David must believe, is uniquely talented in delivering. He has yet to work up the confidence to receive penetrative manual stimulation. However, he does not feel pressured to accelerate his pace of exploration. Jake’s sheer enthusiasm for such activity--and the fact that David can glean telepathic impressions of that enthusiasm--has assured David that Jake is just as satisfied as he is with their current paradigm.

\-----

Over the next few months, David discovers a preference for glazing ceramic pottery, an aptitude for gin rummy, and an aesthetic appreciation for Jake’s off-duty sartorial choices. He also develops an appallingly self-indulgent habit of gleaning impressions via skin-to-skin contact with Jake.

The first time is unintentional. Jake arranges time in his schedule to meet with David during meals twice per week for culinary experiments. Despite relatively similar nutritional requirements, there are markedly different taste preferences between Vulcans and humans. Jake’s spirited attempts to find a common food choice are unsuccessful until he introduces the combination of sucrose and cacao beans.

Neither of them realize the dairy-based beverage causes intoxicating effects on Vulcan physiology until after they have used replicated plastic straws to drain it to the dregs. Put simply, David finds himself exhibiting symptoms similar to those humans experience following mild, intentional alcohol poisoning. He fails to track his own thoughts properly. He is, novelly, aware of the need to track one’s thoughts at all.

He doesn’t quite mind it.

Listing against Jake would typically feel unbecoming of someone in a diplomatic position. David has no illusions that it is. However, he feels less inhibited about doing so in this state.

He does not block Jake automatically, as he would in what he supposes he would describe as a sober state. Therefore, he receives strong impressions from contact with Jake. He becomes thoroughly absorbed in them-- _ _excitement__ and __joy__ that seem specifically linked to David’s proximity, and a sense that Jake would rather maintain an uncomfortable seated position so as not to disturb David than risk him moving away.

David is not aware of his presence ever having had such an effect on another being.

Following that, he continues to read Jake. Jake says he doesn’t mind--that “I’m happy to answer your questions, but this seems easier, you know? As long as you aren’t trying to steal Federation secrets, and you know all of those already.” David accepts this to be true; a light touch to Jake’s wrist indicates veracity.

It gives him context, for the first time, for the high percentage of first-contact Vulcan diplomats who bonded with humans. The rates of interspecies bonding for those serving within Starfleet are statistically significant, even when controlling for concentration of Vulcans per crew. The discrepancy had always puzzled him, occuring as it had amongst high-ranked Vulcans who could have bonded more advantageously at home.

If the fabled Amanda Grayson was anything like Jake, David understands Ambassador Sarek. To abandon that welcoming warmth and companionship would have been most illogical.

\-----

  

 

****CONTINUING MISSION 2494** **

Kiro is passed over for a particular long-term ground mission in favor of Ambassador Boucher. Boucher, while qualified in terms of overall ground mission experience, lacks detailed knowledge of non-verbal linguistics. Kiro is an accomplished xenolinguist. Clearly, he was the better choice for the mission.

“Davidson,” Kiro says, propping a hand underneath his mandible. He is staring at a point slightly to David’s left, indicating that he is watching David himself as opposed to his own viewscreen.

“It defies logic,” David says. “Some essential datum must be unknown to us.”

“Davidson,” Kiro says again. He sighs. “You understand the advantage, yes?”

“However many years of experience with unrelated topics cannot possibly form a compensatory advantage against vital subject knowledge,” David argues.

“Certainly,” Kiro says, waving his other hand. “I would be honored. But it is bad weather on Class M planets. And this way, you and me and Em get to see each other more!”

He pauses for a moment, and David considers pointing out that he hasn’t seen Kiro and Emily in person since beginning his posting on the USNTDP. Kiro is well appraised of this fact.

“Actually, don’t you have leave coming up?” Kiro asks, one brow raised inquisitively. Kiro is equally well appraised of the fact that David has weeks of accumulated leave that he has not seen fit to take since he started with the Diplomatic Corps, it is a frequent topic of conversation. “We should go to that one planet you like!”

David opens his mouth, closes it. He could protest that he has less need for leave than other species, that he likes many planets, that he doesn’t know what Kiro is implying. But he finds that he has no desire to do any of those things. Kiro’s idea is of sound merit, and he would very much like to see Emily and Orange again.

“Your suggestion could lead an impartial observer to believe that Romulans, not Vulcans, are telepaths,” he says finally. He can feel a corner of his mouth twitch.

Kiro laughs.

\-----

Commander Kurmazov approves David’s leave request with a gruff “It’s about time,” and no follow-up queries about the planet where David plans to spend his time off. Jake is thrilled to be invited, a prospect David found so intimidating that he resorted to sending Jake a calendar invitation for a weeklong meeting via PADD while they ate breakfast together.

Even Administrator Lapointe appears pleased to see David back on Planet Q.

“I do extend sincere regret in being unable to spend the week furlough duration collaborating on our white paper,” David tells him.

Administrator Lapointe merely laughs. “Enjoy the beach,” he says. “All of you.” His mannerism echoes that of Emily, upon the occasions David witnesses wherein she threads a hand through Kiro’s hair and dishevels it somewhat.

With the exception of Orange, they do. Felines, according to David’s dedicated observation throughout their leave, do not prefer sandy environments, nor do they find the sound of the waves as soothing as humans do. David himself is enamored of the tide pools - he thinks Orange would possibly have enjoyed them too, though of course that is conjecture.

“Davidson! Come in the water!” Kiro yells from where he and Emily are - according to the supplemental literature left in their rental dwellings, the most accurate term is probably __frolicking__.

David rises from his crouch, adjusts his sun-protective headgear, and sees Jake, standing with his hand outstretched to aid David in navigating the terrain of the intertidal zone. David possesses far superior balance and reflexes and is in no danger of falling, with or without assistance. The beach is fairly heavily populated, and Kiro has just identified David by name. The contact is unnecessary.

He takes Jake’s hand, and they turn in the direction of the sea.

\-----

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everyone who participated in this challenge, and to the organizer. We had a lot of fun writing this one!
> 
> You can find us at:
> 
> \- nowfailingoutofschool.tumblr.com
> 
> \- restfic.tumblr.com


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